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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24878245">Little Magic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/acciomerlin/pseuds/acciomerlin'>acciomerlin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Canon Era Merthur [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Era, Family Feels, Gen, Humor, Magic Revealed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:41:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,546</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24878245</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/acciomerlin/pseuds/acciomerlin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin and Arthur find a young girl having magic in Camelot and decide to protect her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Canon Era Merthur [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2280644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>184</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Little Magic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myramid/gifts">Myramid</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Birthday, M! </p><p>This one is for you, and I've fashioned an original character who is based on the feisty 10 year you old I remember from my childhood. I hope I've done it justice and I really fucking wish you could meet Merlin and Arthur for real :(<br/>I love you the most.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arthur heaved a relieved sigh as the citadel gates neared and he could finally see the bustling city beyond.</p><p>It wasn’t that it had been an unproductive patrol –it was just that this one had been a bit tiring and particularly dull. He briefly glanced to the empty spot on his left and frowned.</p><p>Well, that might or might not have something to do with the fact that Merlin hadn’t been able to join them, what with him being indisposed as the physician’s apprentice in the midst of an aggressive bout of flu that’d taken over the town. Not that Arthur would <em>ever </em>voice this thought, especially to Merlin, who took enough liberties with him in any case and this was just ridiculously easy blackmail fodder.</p><p>But he had to admit that he missed the incessant chatter of his manservant. As loyal and skilled as they were, most of his knights did lack somewhere in the art of conversation.</p><p>As the patrol party reached the edge of the woods and was about to follow the beaten path to the city, Arthur heard a rustling of leaves and froze. He immediately straightened and put a hand up to stop the accompanying knights.</p><p>He looked around warily, gloved fingers closing around the familiar hilt of his sword.</p><p>Could it be bandits? No, that seemed unlikely. They wouldn’t dare –not this close to the heavily guarded gates.</p><p>A high-pitched giggle tore through the solemn silence of the forest. Arthur swivelled his head towards the sound to find a young girl sitting on a high tree branch, peering down at them curiously.</p><p>Arthur felt his knights relax and he loosened the grip on his sword.</p><p>He sighed, rubbing a hand across his face.</p><p>Great, this was just what he needed right then. A child requiring rescue and delaying his return even more. A prickle of irritation shot through him but he clamped down on it quickly because he did take the knight’s code seriously and the girl did look rather helpless –Arthur didn’t see how she could come down from <em>that </em>height without assistance. It was his duty to provide it.</p><p>Well, there were no two ways about it. He just sincerely hoped she wouldn’t start crying at any point –he’d take bandits over a crying child any day.</p><p>He motioned for the knights to go on ahead without him, and assured them that he would be right behind them. They obeyed easily and were soon out of sight.</p><p>Arthur swung down from the horse, removed his gloves and looked up at the girl. She was staring at him in that disconcerting way kids did sometimes. Her dark hair was in a long braid which had leaves and twigs sticking out from it and her eyes were uncommonly bright, reflecting youthful intellect.</p><p>He cleared his throat, not sure what to say. “Right. Err, hello. What’s your name?”</p><p>The girl assessed him with a calculating gaze. “Myra. What’s yours?”</p><p>“Arthur,” he replied, giving her a tight smile. “Where do you live?”</p><p>“Camelot, of course,” she said proudly. “I live in the lower town!”</p><p>Arthur smiled despite himself. “That’s on the way to the castle. I suppose I can drop you off.”</p><p>Myra gave him an inquisitive look but didn’t comment when he started climbing the tree.</p><p>The circumstances were less than ideal. Arthur was already exhausted, his heavy armour was weighing him down and he hadn’t climbed trees in over a decade.</p><p>“You should grab that big branch on your right,” Myra piped up at one point.</p><p>Arthur looked up, sweaty hair flopping on his forehead. The girl looked thoroughly entertained by his struggle.</p><p>“What?” he panted, hardly able to hear himself think over his laboured breathing.</p><p>She pointed helpfully at the branch she was referring to. “That one. The one you’re holding on to right now can snap any second.”</p><p>Arthur hastily heeded her advice and grasped the stronger branch. The bark cut into his hands sharply but the grip was admittedly much firmer.</p><p>Myra beamed. “Now, place your foot in that dent over there,” she said.</p><p>Arthur huffed, even as he did as she instructed. “I’m a knight and a prince, I can climb a tree by himself.”</p><p>“I don’t know who you are but you clearly can’t,” Myra commented, wagging a condescending finger at him.</p><p>Arthur’s lips twitched. He couldn’t help but be reminded of a certain insolent manservant he knew. Apparently, he was fated to only meet people who weren’t afraid to tell him of his shortcomings.</p><p>It was strangely refreshing.  </p><p>Arthur made embarrassingly slow work of climbing the rest of the way, internally cursing his luck for landing him in situations that threatened his sense of self-respect.</p><p>He settled on a thick branch near Myra, his breaths shallow with exertion and the inside of his armour boiling.</p><p>“Come on, now,” he said. “Let’s go.”</p><p>Myra, to his surprise, didn’t budge and crossed her arms in objection instead.</p><p>Arthur was taken back. He knew he’d said he didn’t want crying but he surely wouldn’t be opposed to a few tears of joy and words of overwhelming gratitude as thanks for his heroic rescue.</p><p>“Go where?” Myra asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.</p><p>Arthur sighed exasperatedly. “<em>Down. </em>We’re certainly not going further up.”</p><p>Myra’s lower lip wobbled dangerously and she leaned away from him. “I don’t want to go down yet, I’m not done spending time with Leafy.”</p><p>“<em>Who?</em>”</p><p>Myra turned up her nose. “Leafy,” she repeated defensively. “The tree you’re sitting on, that is its name.”</p><p>Arthur snorted. “You named the tree <em>Leafy?</em> How creative.”</p><p>Myra’s nostrils flared in indignation. “I’m eight! At least I know how to climb trees.”</p><p>Arthur rolled his eyes, his patience starting to wear thin. “Well, I don’t have spare time to chat with <em>Leafy,</em>” he informed her. “So it’s best we hurry. Hop on.”</p><p>“You can go then. I’m staying,” Myra let him know with a pout.</p><p>Arthur blinked in confusion.</p><p>“Hang on,” he said, his brain working to catch up. “Aren’t you stuck?”</p><p>Myra looked rather offended at the assumption. “Of course not!” she cried.</p><p>“Then why did you make me come up here?!?” Arthur exclaimed angrily, the throbbing in his temple turning up a notch.</p><p>
  <em>Damn his duty to produce heirs, he was never going to have any children of his own –</em>
</p><p>“I didn’t,” Myra replied flatly. “I thought you were coming up to play with me.”</p><p>With a groan, Arthur realised that she was <em>right. </em>She had never said or hinted in any way that she was stuck or in any kind of trouble. It was <em>Arthur </em>who’d assumed she was looking for help and that his services were required somewhere they absolutely weren’t. It had been all him.</p><p>Arthur really couldn’t stand himself sometimes; maybe Merlin was on to something.</p><p>He pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. “So, you can go down on your own?” he asked doubtfully, eyeing the dangerous drop.</p><p>Myra regarded him as if <em>he </em>were the child in this situation.</p><p>“Easily,” she said, and then proceeded to demonstrate her skill as she jumped off the tree.</p><p>Arthur’s arm shot out on instinct to catch her but he only grasped at air and blind panic seized him. His scream was cut short when she landed gracefully on her feet, unharmed and intact.</p><p>His blood froze in his veins as his brain registered what had just happened. Arthur blinked rapidly and shook his head in order to clear the cloudiness that had suddenly taken over his senses.</p><p>He swallowed thickly, his throat feeling unnaturally dry.</p><p>“How –how did you do that?” he spluttered, all manner and dignity of a prince lost. “That should be impossible!”</p><p>Myra shrugged casually, looking almost bored with the conversation. “I’ve always been able to do that, although mummy tells me not to do it in front of other people.”</p><p>Arthur felt dizzy, as the implication of her sentence hit him soundly across the head.</p><p><em>Sorcery. This could only mean sorcery</em>. <em>But she was just a little girl, only a child of eight –</em></p><p>He was offered further proof of his theory when Myra gave a gasp of delight and ran towards his horse, tracing the scabbard slung on it with awe.</p><p>Arthur could only gawp stupidly as she stretched her hand and his sword levitated out of the scabbard, floating in mid-air in front of her.</p><p>She touched the hilt with hesitant fingers, and immediately turned to look at him with an ecstatic grin. “It’s so beautiful. Is it yours? Can you use it?” she asked excitedly, thrumming with newfound energy.</p><p>Arthur felt like his brain was broken. None of the usual functions seemed to be working.</p><p>“I –yes,” he managed to stutter. Arthur belatedly noticed that he was still sitting on a tree in full armour like some kind of lunatic and flushed slightly.</p><p>“Brilliant! Can you teach me?” Myra said breathlessly, bouncing on her toes. “I’ve always wanted to learn sword fighting but the boys next door say that it’s not for girls and that’s –”</p><p>“<em>All right</em>,” Arthur cut in. “Let me come down first.”</p><p>He carefully positioned his legs but nearly toppled forward when his right arm gave a painful jerk when he tried to move it. He glanced back to see it tangled in a thick, green vine. He brought his left hand to free it but it didn’t budge, the vine just coiling tighter around his arm.</p><p>Arthur groaned. He needed something to cut the vine.</p><p>His eyes snapped to the long, gleaming blade floating two feet off the ground below. Well, sorcery could be useful for something.</p><p>“Myra,” he called cautiously. “Can you send the sword up to me, please? I’m stuck.”</p><p>Myra stared at him, but made no movement. “With magic?”</p><p>“Yes,” Arthur bit out, his father’s grunt of disapproval ringing in his head. “With magic. If you could just levitate it high enough for me to reach  –”</p><p>“Mommy said it’s not allowed,” Myra said, as if Arthur needed a reminder.</p><p>He grimaced. “Well, yes but I suppose being the future King, I can allow it this once.”</p><p>Myra scowled at him. “Because <em>you</em> need it? I don’t know, but that sounds unfair.”</p><p>Arthur felt like he’d been slapped. Goodness, he was being a right hypocrite, wasn’t he?</p><p>His conscience poked at him uncomfortably and he filed this conversation and the subsequent implications of it for later study. He felt something in his beliefs shift but he didn’t have time to dwell on it.</p><p>This approach clearly wasn’t working, and only resulted in making him nauseous. He needed something else to convince her.</p><p>Arthur mustered up the most sincere expression he had in his artillery.</p><p>“The truth is,” he said with a sad smile, “my friend will be worried if I don’t show up soon. He will think something bad has happened to me, and you don’t want that, do you?”</p><p>Myra’s face softened instantly and she inched closer to the tree, staring up at him with big innocent eyes. “Will he cry?” she asked seriously.</p><p>Arthur fought back a smile at the image of Merlin sobbing over him. It was quite realistic.</p><p>“Yes, he definitely will,” he answered earnestly. “Merlin is <em>very </em>sensitive.”</p><p>The little girl looked adequately distressed by the information. “Is he your best friend?”</p><p>Arthur paused, another worrying revelation making itself known in his mind.</p><p>
  <em>Was Merlin his best friend? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He was, wasn’t he? </em>
</p><p>Oh, bugger.</p><p>“He is,” coughed Arthur uncomfortably. “Do you also have a best friend?”</p><p>Myra brightened up at that. “I do! Her name is Simone,” then she drew her eyebrows together and mumbled, “I think I would be very upset if I thought something bad happened to her.”</p><p>Hope flared up in Arthur’s chest. “<em>Yes, </em>exactly. So would Merlin! Would you please help me, for his sake?”</p><p>Suddenly determined, Myra nodded and guided the sword up to him.</p><p>He cut through the vine quickly and made his way down.</p><p>Up close, Arthur towered over the child and she looked somewhat intimidated, though she tried to hide it with a brave front.</p><p>Myra eyed him distrustfully. “You won’t tell my mummy about the magic, will you?” she asked in a small voice, barely masking her fear.</p><p>He crouched down on his knees and looked her in the eye.</p><p>“No,” he answered with a warm smile. “I won’t tell anyone.”</p><p>In the coming weeks, if Arthur happened to come across the girl in the Lower Town and she happened to obtain a blunt wooden sword from unidentified sources and he just happened to have a bit of spare time to teach her a few tricks, then that wasn’t for anyone to know but him.</p>
<hr/><p>Merlin rounded the corner for the Court Physician’s chambers and immediately bumped into Gaius, who was accompanied by a woman Merlin didn’t know.</p><p>“Ah, Merlin,” said Gaius, grabbing his elbow. “I was just about to send for you.”</p><p>Merlin furrowed his eyebrows. “What for?”</p><p>Gaius made introductions, gesturing to the woman behind him who flashed Merlin a polite smile. “This is Sybil. She lives in the Lower Town and her next-door neighbour has caught a nasty case of the on-going flu. I must see to her at once. I need you to make a fresh batch of sleeping draught in my absence and –”</p><p>Merlin groaned loudly, not caring about the company.</p><p>“<em>Gaius,” </em>he whined. “Can’t it wait?”</p><p>Arthur had just miraculously given him the afternoon off and Merlin was looking forward to a well-earned nap. He didn’t need <em>more </em>work, if he could help it.</p><p>Gaius gave him his patented eyebrow-raise and Merlin shrivelled inside, feeling sufficiently chastised without the utterance of a single word.</p><p>“No, Merlin,” he said severely. “I’m afraid sick people losing sleep can’t wait.”</p><p>Merlin tiredly rubbed his temple. “Fine,” he grumbled. “I’ll make the draught.”</p><p>Gaius nodded his approval and continued, “Oh and Sybil’s daughter Myra is sitting inside. I’ve been assured she’s a well-behaved child but if you’re here, best to keep an eye on her. We’ll be back soon.”</p><p>Before Merlin could lift a finger to object, Gaius was out of his sight, walking surprisingly fast for a man his age.</p><p><em>Excellent, </em>he thought sarcastically. In addition to painstakingly brewing the draught, he also had to watch over a child he’d never met. Spectacular. His day couldn’t get better.</p><p>It wasn’t that he had anything against kids. Merlin loved children but there really could not be a worse time for one to enter his life.</p><p>Feeling irritated and thoroughly overworked, Merlin slowly opened the door to the chambers and slipped inside.</p><p>Merlin paused.</p><p>It took his tired brain a moment to register the sight before his eyes but when it did, he gasped loudly and quickly closed the door behind him, locking it twice.</p><p>A young girl –Myra, he remembered –was sitting on the top of Gaius’s worktable reading…two books…that were steadily floating in front of her.</p><p>Merlin lightly slapped himself on the cheek to make sure he wasn’t experiencing a vivid, exhaustion-induced hallucination.</p><p>No. No, this was real.</p><p>Merlin paled.</p><p>“Um, hello,” he said scratchily, drawing the girl’s attention away from the books.</p><p>She squeaked, startled at seeing him and the books dropped on the table, upending stoppered vials of a very complicated potion Gaius had spent a fortnight on.</p><p>“No!” Merlin exclaimed, his right hand shooting out instinctively and eyes flaring gold. The vials stopped in mid-air on their way to the floor and then proceeded to jump up back in order on the table.</p><p>Myra was staring at him with wide eyes, her mouth slightly open.</p><p>“You have magic,” she announced wondrously. A slow grin was spreading over her face at the information.</p><p>“Well, I could say the same about you,” Merlin answered drily, placing his hands on his hips in an attempted display at appearing stern.</p><p>She blushed and hopped down from the table. “Sorry,” she said shyly, looking down at her feet. “Mummy said I’m not supposed to do it outside the house.”</p><p>“And she’s right,” Merlin said firmly, feeling an instant surge of protectiveness for the child. “If anyone other than me had entered –” he bit his lip, “well, let’s just say this conversation would not be happening. You shouldn’t be so reckless, especially not in a place like Camelot.”</p><p>Merlin felt like a massive hypocrite saying those words but he quashed it. It was…it was different with him. He was an adult and any reckless activities he partook in were in service of the Crown Prince and were completely valid. It was <em>destiny. </em></p><p>Merlin winced as he was once again reminded of the travesty that was his life. God forbid anyone else was subjected to this fate.</p><p>“Don’t ever talk to a dragon,” he blurted out unthinkingly.</p><p>“Huh?” Myra asked, puzzled.</p><p>“Nothing,” Merlin said quickly, undoing his neckerchief and collecting the ingredients for the sleeping draught.</p><p>But Myra, apparently smart as a whip, had caught on. “Did you say dragons? They exist?” she asked, her voice climbing considerably higher in pitch.</p><p>This. This was why Merlin should not be trusted around children.</p><p>“Uhh,” he hesitated. “No? But if they did, you shouldn’t talk to them.”</p><p>Myra nodded dismissively and followed him around, tugging at his tunic. “What else do you know about magic? What can you do? Are you very powerful? Do you know how to turn vegetables into sweets? Can you teach me?”</p><p>Merlin couldn’t help but smile wide as he grabbed the mortar and pestle and put the cauldron over the fire.</p><p>“I won’t teach you that,” he said, quirking an amused eyebrow. “But maybe something else. Do you like butterflies?”</p><p>Myra squealed and jumped up in the air. “I do, I do! I love butterflies. They’re so pretty.”</p><p>Merlin grinned and bent down in front of her anticipating form. He cupped his hands, spoke a few ancient words, and as he opened them, a glowing pink butterfly flew into the space between the two sorcerers. The butterfly flapped its wings lazily for a few seconds before settling on Myra’s nose, illuminating the girl’s mesmerised face.</p><p>“Wow,” she breathed, her eyes crossing a little as she surveyed the creature sitting on her nose.</p><p>Merlin felt a warmth flow through his chest at the happiness and pure wonder the child reflected. She was without a doubt a very powerful witch and her magic would only grow over the years but she was also just an innocent little girl, her morals untainted. Merlin sensed a deep connection of kin with her, and had the urge to protect her from all harm, to preserve that innocence.</p><p>Myra helped him make the batch of sleeping draught that day, the two of them laughing and doing petty magic in the safe cocoon of the physician’s chambers, the thought of Merlin’s eagerly sought-after nap all but forgotten.</p><p>And if he happened to give the young sorceress some secret magic lessons over the next few weeks, well then no one would know but him.</p>
<hr/><p>"Merlin! There you are!"</p><p>"Wha –Arthur! How did you find me?"</p><p>"It wasn't hard. I saw you fumbling your way across the courtyard."</p><p>"I don't fumble –”</p><p>"We both know you do. Now, where are you going?"</p><p>“Collecting some herbs for Gaius."</p><p>"Ah, I see."</p><p>“…”</p><p>“…”</p><p>"So… you're just going to follow me then?"</p><p>"I'm not <em>following</em> you anywhere, Merlin. I'm out for a relaxing stroll in the woods. It has nothing to do with you."</p><p>"Whatever you say, Your Highness."</p><p>*****</p><p>Myra bit back a sob as the squirrel on the ground writhed in pain. She hasn't meant for this to happen. She had miscalculated the amount of magic it would require to catch it and had ended up harming it instead. She had wanted to take it to her mummy because she was having a bad day but she’d ruined it.</p><p>Myra felt utterly helpless. She desperately wanted the fix it but didn't know how to. She was scared of using magic because her magic was what had injured the squirrel in the first place.</p><p>She cradled the tiny creature in the palm of her hands and tried to comfort it, knowing it was all her fault that it was in agony.</p><p>Myra considered taking it to Merlin –she was sure he could help but she was terrified that the squirrel wouldn't survive that long. And what if Merlin wasn't available? What if he was out with the prince?</p><p>No, no she had to remedy the situation herself. She tried to recall the titbits of healing magic Merlin had taught her and took a steadying breath. She gently put the squirrel on the ground and wiped furiously at her eyes before wringing her hands and placing them on its furry body.</p><p>Myra felt the power welling up inside her and she let it fill her up, giving it direction to heal the animal. She muttered the powerful words Merlin had taught her but knew that they were only a catalyst; the real determining factor to the magic working was her resolve and skill.</p><p>The energy continued to flow out of her and the squirrel grew still, its breathing becoming slower and the abnormally broken bones joining together again.</p><p>Myra opened her eyes and grinned widely. She'd done it! She had healed the squirrel! Oh, she couldn't wait to tell –</p><p>The loud snap of a twig broke through her thoughts and Myra twisted around to the clearing behind her.</p><p>Merlin and Prince Arthur were staring at her with eyes wide and mouths slightly open.</p><p>Myra's smiled broadened. She gave them a small wave. They were her friends.</p><p>Her greeting shattered their reverie because they both blurted out hurried words from their mouths at the same time.</p><p>"It's a magic squirrel!"</p><p>"We have to attend a council meeting!"</p><p>They turned to look at each other, wearing matching looks of horror.</p><p>"What did you say?" asked Arthur, looking flummoxed.</p><p>Merlin rushed in front of Myra as if shielding her from a foe.</p><p>Myra frowned, confused about his actions. There was only Arthur there. He could be snappy sometimes but he’d mostly been good to her.</p><p>"Uhh magic squirrel," Merlin stuttered and flashed the prince a weak smile. "Looks like this little girl found a magic squirrel. I didn't think I'd ever see one in the flesh."</p><p>Arthur blinked and continued to stare at Merlin.</p><p>Merlin swallowed nervously and picked up the squirrel that had been gazing reverently at Myra.</p><p>She made a noise of displeasure but Merlin silenced her with a hand on her shoulder.</p><p>"A –a magic squirrel, sire," he said tightly, moving towards Arthur. "I read about it in one of Gaius's books.  It has nine lives."</p><p>Myra knew she was only a child but she was sure that was wrong.</p><p>"I think cats are the ones with nine lives," she corrected with a giggle. Merlin was being so silly!</p><p>He didn't seem to find it funny though, because he shot her a look of frenzied panic and said with clenched teeth, "That's not the point."</p><p>Arthur, who had been rapidly switching his gaze between Myra and Merlin in bafflement, suddenly stepped up and took the newly tame squirrel from Merlin's hands.</p><p>"It looks like a normal squirrel, Merlin," he stated with his brows drawn in suspicion.</p><p>Merlin grimaced. "Um well, see the magic squirrel <em>looks </em>like a normal squirrel but really it's not. It can heal itself and –”</p><p>Arthur's loud sigh interrupted Merlin’s half-mad speech.</p><p>"You know, don't you?" Arthur asked, locking eyes with Merlin.</p><p>Merlin averted his gaze. "Know what? That cats and squirrels both have nine lives? Yes, it's –”</p><p>Arthur made an irritated noise. "Not <em>that</em>, you idiot. About the –” he made some outlandish gestures with his hands and Myra wanted to burst into laughter. Her friends were funny.</p><p>Merlin, however, was not nearly as amused.</p><p>He chewed on his lip and looked worried. "Arthur, I have no idea –”</p><p>Myra rolled her eyes, because Arthur's meaning was quite clear. Really, she'd thought Merlin was much smarter than that.</p><p>"I think he's talking about my magic," she said helpfully.</p><p>Merlin and Arthur nearly snapped their necks with how fast they turned their heads towards her, then promptly towards each other.</p><p>They pointed accusing fingers at the other.</p><p>"You knew!"</p><p>"<em>You</em> knew!"</p><p>"<em>How?</em>"</p><p>"<em>You</em> tell me how!”</p><p>“Don’t even think about turning her in, Merlin!”</p><p>“<em>Really? </em>Does it <em>look </em>like that’s what I’ve been trying to do, you prat?”</p><p>“I don’t know how your strange mind works!”</p><p>“Aren’t you the one who’s Uther Pendragon’s son, someone who, oh I don’t know –<em>loathes magic?”</em></p><p>"How dare you talk to me like –"</p><p>“Besides, that’s not all. How do you even know a girl from the Lower Town?”</p><p>“I don’t –I’ll be the one asking the questions here, Merlin!”</p><p>"Like hell you will!"</p><p>Myra quickly got bored of it. Despite her young age, she had already endured too many meaningless fights boys had a proclivity to get into. She wanted to take the squirrel back to her mommy.</p><p>She tugged at Arthur's arm. "Can I have my squirrel back, please?"</p><p>He paused in his tirade and looked down at her, seeming lost all of a sudden.</p><p>"Yes, yes of course," he said, clearing his throat. He surrendered the creature to her and she took it gently in her hands, stroking the soft fur. The squirrel lifted its head and chittered happily at her touch, coaxing a delighted chuckle out of her.</p><p>Merlin and Arthur ceased their argument and chose to gaze at her with fond smiles.</p><p>Boys were odd, Myra decided finally.</p><p>"You're telling me all about this later but I must say we make a pretty good sorcerer protection team, Merlin," Myra heard Arthur quietly whisper to Merlin.</p><p>Merlin flushed a deep red and laughed uneasily, rubbing at his neck. "You must be joking. With my atrocious lie about magic squirrels that even <em>you </em>didn't believe?"</p><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" exclaimed Arthur, not nearly as outraged as his tone led to believe.</p><p>"Nothing at all," Merlin said with a smirk, finding his footing again.</p><p>"Why, you little –”</p><p>"Arthur!” Merlin admonished gleefully. “We're in the company of a child, do behave yourself."</p><p>Arthur glared at him poisonously but when he addressed Myra again, it was with a soft smile. "Myra, you really should be more careful but...but I also have to say that you did a good job on the uh –magic. You saved that squirrel's life and you should be very proud yourself for that."</p><p>Myra beamed brightly, revelling in the compliment. "Thank you!" she said giddily. "Merlin taught me."</p><p>Merlin slapped a hand on his face and Arthur looked like he'd had the breath knocked out of him as the realisation hit him.</p><p>Myra gave them one last wave and skipped away happily with her squirrel.</p><p>She didn't stop to listen but Myra could hear her friends starting up a heated discussion again.</p><p>Things settled down soon enough and the next time she saw them, it was both of them together.</p><p>And if Merlin and Arthur happened to start combining their magic and swordsmanship lessons after that, no one but the three of them had to know.</p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>M wanted me to post this so I hope everyone enjoyed it! </p><p>Find me on <a href="https://acciomeriin.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a>!</p><p>Till next time!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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